Adjustable seat for personal mobility vehicle

ABSTRACT

An adjustable seat for a personal mobility vehicle comprises a panel and a support structure. The panel comprises at least one panel part. The panel part is releasably secured relative to the support structure so as to be adjustable in at least one direction. The panel part has one of either a key member or a mating structure that is configured to mate with the other one of either the mating structure or the key member, which is supported in relation to the support structure to locate the panel part in a suitable adjusted position. Alternatively, a personal mobility vehicle seat may comprise a panel comprising panel parts. The panel parts may be releasably secured to one another so that at least one of the panel parts is adjustable relative to the other one of the panel parts. One of the panel parts may have a key member and the other panel part may have a mating structure configured to mate with the key member to locate the panel parts in a suitable adjusted position relative to one another.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/762,435, filed on Jan. 26, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

This invention relates in general to land vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to personal transports or personal mobility vehicles, such as wheelchairs, scooters and the like, and seats therefor.

Wheelchairs are often intended to be capable of being used by various users having different size, physical constitutions, and impairments. To meet the need of various users, there is a need for wheelchair seats that are easily adjustable.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention is directed towards an adjustable seat for personal mobility vehicles. The seat comprises a panel and a support structure. The panel comprises at least one panel part. The panel part is releasably secured relative to the support structure so as to be adjustable in at least one direction. The panel part has one of either a key member or a mating structure that is configured to mate with the other one of either the mating structure or the key member, which is supported in relation to the support structure to locate the panel part in a suitable adjusted position.

The present invention is also directed towards a personal mobility vehicle seat comprising a panel comprising at least two panel parts. The panel parts are releasably secured to one another so that at least one of the panel parts is adjustable in at least one direction relative to the other one of the panel parts. One of the panel parts has a key member and the other panel part has a mating structure configured to mate with the key member to locate the panel parts in a suitable adjusted position relative to one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an adjustable personal mobility vehicle seat.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of panel parts.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the panel parts shown in FIG. 2, as assembled.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of alternative panel parts.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of panel parts according to another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of panel parts according to yet another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of panel parts according to still another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 an exploded perspective view of an adjustable seat, as generally indicated at 10, intended primarily for personal mobility vehicles, such as wheelchairs, scooters, and the like. For example, the seat 10 may be mounted on the base of a wheelchair having wheels for navigating the wheelchair on a supporting surface. The seat 10 comprises at least one panel, such as a seat panel 12, which is intended to support the buttocks of a person and portions of the hips. The seat 10 also includes a backrest panel 14, which is intended to support the back of the person. The seat 10 comprises a seat panel support structure 20 supporting from below the seat panel 12 and a backrest panel support structure 22 supporting from behind the backrest panel 14.

The exemplary seat panel support structure 20 comprises a front transverse member 24 and left and right side members 26, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the seat 10, and are connected to the front transverse member 24 to form a substantially U-shaped configuration, as generally indicated at 28, although other support structures may be used. The U-shaped configuration 28 has suitable slots or holes 31 therein, in the front transverse member 24 and/or the side members 26. The holes 31 are provided for attachment of the seat panel 12 to the support structure 20, although other suitable structure may be provided for such attachment.

The seat panel 12 has at least one panel part secured relative to the support structure 20 in a manner that allows the panel part to be adjustable in at least one direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the seat panel 12 has three panel parts, including, for example, a central panel part 38 and opposing panel parts, such as the left and right side panel parts 40, although other panel configurations may be used. One or more holes or slots 32 may be provided in the seat panel 12, which align at various positions with one or more holes 30 in the central panel part 38 and/or one or more holes 31 in the front transverse member 24 and/or the side members 26 and through which fasteners, such as threaded fasteners (not shown), may be inserted and tightened, for example, by nuts or other suitable structure, to releasably secure the seat panel 12 in relation to the seat panel support structure 20 in a suitable adjusted position.

In the exemplary embodiment, the left and right side panel parts 40 are adjustable with respect to the central panel part 38 to adjust the width of the seat panel 12. The central panel part 38 may remain in a fixed position with respect to the seat panel support structure 20, although it may be movable, and the left and right side panel parts 40 may each be adjustable, although any one or more of the central panel parts 38 and/or the left and right side panel parts 40 may be adjustable.

The backrest panel 14 has at least one panel secured relative to the support structure 22 so as to be adjustable in at least one direction. In the illustrated embodiment, backrest panel 14 has three panel parts, including, for example, a central panel part 46 and opposing panel parts, including the left and right side panel parts 48 shown, although other panel configurations may be used. One or more holes or slots 52 may be provided in the left and right side panel parts 48, which align at various positions with one or more slots or holes 44 in the central panel part 46 and through which fasteners, such as threaded fasteners (not shown), may be inserted and tightened, for example, by nuts or other suitable structure, to releasably secure the side panel parts 48 relative to the central panel part 46 and/or the support structure 22.

In the exemplary embodiment, the left and right side panel parts 48 are adjustable with respect to the central panel part 46 to adjust the width of the backrest panel 14. The central panel part 46 may remain in a fixed position with respect to the backrest panel support structure 22, although it may be movable, and the left and right side panel parts 48 may each be adjustable, although any one of the central panel part 46 and/or the left and right side panel parts 48 may be adjustable.

For adjusting the width of the seat panel 12 and backrest panel 14, the fasteners may be loosened and the left and right side panel parts 40, 48 may be adjusted laterally with respect to respective central panel parts 38, 46, and are retightened to secure the left and right side panel parts 40, 48 with respect to respective the central panel part 46 and/or the support structures 20, 22.

In FIG. 2, there is illustrated a diagrammatic perspective view of panel parts, which are exemplary of panel parts of the seat panel 12 and/or the backrest panel backrest 14 described above. One panel part has one or more key members 58. Another panel part has one or more mating structures 60 complimentary or otherwise suitably configured to mate with the key members 58. Although the mating structures 60 shown in FIG. 2 are laterally spaced for seat width adjustment, the mating structures 60 may be longitudinally or vertically spaced for seat depth or backrest height adjustment.

In FIG. 3, there is illustrated an enlarged partial sectional view of panel parts, which are exemplary of the panel parts shown in FIG. 2 and described above. As shown in FIG. 3, a key member 58 may mate with a mating structure 60 so as to locate the panel parts in a suitable adjusted position. It should be noted that a plurality of spaced mating structures 60 may be provided to permit the panel parts to be located in any of a plurality of suitable adjusted positions. Although not necessary, the mating structures 60 may be spaced at equal distances, or otherwise spaced so as to be located at discrete locations. This permits discrete adjustments in the panel parts. For example, mating structures 60 spaced about one-half inch apart to permit the panels to be adjusted at one-half inch increments. It should be appreciated that two similarly configured opposing or side panel parts may mate with a respective central panel part, or otherwise be secured with respect to a respective support structure, and may each be configured to mate with a plurality of mating structures 60 to permit incremental adjustment of each opposing or side panel part. For example, adjustment of each opposing or side panel part by one-half inch results in a one-inch total incremental adjustment in at least one dimension of the panel. Any one or more of the panel parts may include indicia, such as demarcation markings and/or numerals representing lengths and measures of adjustment, for example, ½ . . . 1 . . . 1½ . . . and the like, so the key members 58 and/or mating structures 60 need not be counted when adjusting the panel parts to ensure panel parts are readily adjusted by desired incremental amounts.

In the exemplary embodiment, the panel parts comprise relatively thin, stiff or substantially stiff base plates, which form a rigid or substantially rigid support surface for supporting a person by the buttocks or back. The plates are arranged substantially parallel to one another and define a plane for supporting the person. One or more key members 58 may be provided on at least one of the base plates, for example, by stamping or pressing the base plate, or by welding or otherwise securing the key members 58 to the base plates. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, each key member 58 may be in the form of a protrusion having a circular base 62, a tapered circumferential side wall 64, and a blunt tip 66. Each mating structure 60 may be in the form of a complimentary shaped concave recess for receiving a respective key member 58. The tapered side wall 64 may allow for ease in guiding the key member 58 into the mating structure 60. The key members 58 and mating structures 60 may be dimensioned and configured to result in a snug or tight fit relation, or are otherwise configured to reduce the risk of slop being present between the panel parts but could be otherwise dimensioned and configured. It should be appreciated that a mating structure may be in the form of a hole 68, as shown in FIG. 4, for receiving a key member 58, instead of a concave recess, as shown in FIG. 3.

In FIG. 5, there is a sectional view of alternative panel parts. These panel parts comprise one or more key members in the form of pins or studs 70, or some other suitable raised surface or projection, that may mate with one or more mating structures in the form of holes 72. The studs 70 and the holes 72 may be cylindrical or some other complimentary mating shapes. In FIG. 6, there is a sectional view of panel parts according to yet another embodiment. These panel parts include key members and a mating structure in the form of complimentary mating waffle surfaces 74, 76, which may be stamped, pressed or otherwise formed therein. In FIG. 7, there is a sectional view of panel parts according to still another embodiment. These panel parts include key members and a mating structure in the form of complimentary mating serrated or saw tooth surfaces 78, 80, which may be stamped, pressed or otherwise formed therein.

To adjust the panel parts, the fasteners are loosened to permit the panel parts to be separated, disconnected or disengaged, or the panel parts are otherwise permitted to be separated, disconnected or disengaged from one another. With the panel parts separated, disconnected or disengaged, the panel parts can be moved to a suitable adjusted position, wherein one or more key members and one or more mating structures engage one another to join, connect or engage the panel parts in the adjusted position. With the key members and the mating structures joined, connected or engaged, the fasteners may be tightened to permit the panel parts to be joined, connected or engaged with one another, or the panel parts are otherwise to be joined, connected or engaged with one another.

It should be appreciated that the arrangement of the key members and mating structure is not intended to be limited to the arrangement shown and that any arrangement for adjusting the panel parts laterally in width, longitudinally in depth, and/or vertically in height may be suitable for carrying out the invention.

It should also be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the panel configurations or orientations illustrated in the drawing and described above, and that other configurations and orientations may be used. For example, panels can be configured in a manner inverse to that shown in drawings, with a bottom or back panel having one or more key members and the top or front panel having one or more mating structures.

It should further be appreciated that either one of the central panel part or the opposing or side panel parts may be provided with one or more key members, as described above, and the other one of the central panel part or the opposing or side panel parts may be provided with one or more mating structures, as described above. Alternatively, the central panel part or the side panel parts may each be provided with one or more key members and/or one or more mating structures arranged in such a way as to permit engagement of the panel parts as described above.

It should still further be appreciated that the key members and mating structures shown and described are provided for illustrative purposes and the other key members and mating structures may be used, including key members and mating structure that differ in shape or geometry then that shown and described.

Moreover, it should be appreciated that the supporting structure is not intended to be limited to the supporting structure shown and described above but instead may be any supporting structure, including but not limited to, for example, a panel part, such as a central panel part, such as one of the central panel parts 38, 46 shown and described above.

Additionally, although threaded fasteners are described above, it should be understood that any suitable fastener may be used for securing the panel parts together.

The principle and mode of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope. 

1. A personal mobility vehicle seat comprising: a panel for supporting a user; and a support structure configured to support the panel, the panel comprising at least one panel part releasably secured relative to the support structure so as to be adjustable in at least one direction, the panel part having one of either a key member or a plurality of mating structures that is configured to mate with the other one of either the plurality of mating structures or a key member supported by the support structure to locate the panel part in a suitable adjusted position, the key member and the mating structures being configured to provide incremental amounts of adjustment.
 2. A seat comprising a panel comprising: at least two panel parts, the panel parts being releasably secured to one another so as to be adjustable in at least one direction, at least one of the panel parts having one or more key members and at least the other panel part having one or more mating structures configured to mate with at least one of the one or more key members to locate the panel parts in a suitable adjusted position relative to one another.
 3. The seat of claim 2 wherein the panel is a seat panel for supporting the buttocks of a person.
 4. The seat of claim 2 wherein the panel is a backrest panel for supporting the back of a person.
 5. The seat of claim 2 further comprising one or more fasteners, wherein one or more slots are provided in at least one of the panel parts and one or more holes are provided in at least the other panel part, at least one of the one or more slots aligning with at least one of the one or more holes at one of various positions, the one or more fasteners being insertable through the aligning one or more slots and one or more holes and being configured to secure the panel parts in a suitable adjusted position.
 6. The seat of claim 5 wherein the one or more fasteners are one or more threaded fasteners.
 7. The seat of claim 2 wherein the at least two panel parts comprises three panel parts, including a central panel part and opposing panel parts.
 8. The seat of claim 7 further comprising a panel support structure, wherein the central panel part is secured with respect to the support structure and at least one of the opposing panel parts is adjustable with respect to the central panel part to adjust the panel in at least one direction.
 9. The seat of claim 7 wherein at least one of the opposing panel parts is movable with respect to the central panel part to permit the at least one opposing panel part to be adjustable in a lateral direction with respect to the central panel part.
 10. The seat of claim 2 wherein the one or more mating structures comprise a plurality of spaced mating structures.
 11. The seat of claim 2 wherein the one or more mating structures are spaced at discrete locations so as to permit discrete adjustments in at least one of the panel parts relative to the other one of the panel parts.
 12. The seat of claim 2 wherein the panel parts comprise relatively thin, substantially stiff base plates, which form a substantially rigid support surface for supporting a person.
 13. The seat of claim 12 wherein the base plates are arranged substantially parallel to one another and define a seat or backrest plane for supporting the person.
 14. The seat of claim 2 wherein at least one of the one or more key members comprises a protrusion and at least one of the one or more mating structures comprises a complimentary shaped concave recess or hole for receiving the protrusion.
 15. The seat of claim 14 wherein the protrusion has a tapered side wall that allows for ease in guiding the protrusion into the recess.
 16. The seat of claim 2 wherein at least one of the one or more key members is in the form of a projection and at least one of the one or more mating structures is in the form of a hole.
 17. The seat of claim 16 wherein the projection and the hole are complimentary mating shapes.
 18. The seat of claim 2 wherein the one or more key members comprise a plurality of key members and the one or more mating structures comprise a plurality of mating structures, the key members and the mating structures being in the form of complimentary mating waffle, serrated, or saw tooth surfaces.
 19. A seat comprising a panel comprising: at least two panel parts, the panel parts being releasably secured to one another so as to be adjustable in at least one direction, at least one of the panel parts having one or more key members and at least the other panel part having one or more mating structures configured to mate with at least one of the one or more key members to locate the panel parts in a suitable adjusted position relative to one another, at least one of the key members or the mating structures being constructed so that, to move the panel parts relative to each other, the panel parts are required to be separated. 